There’s been much talk about keeping Jan Vertonghen at left back throughout the season after the Belgian covered so comfortably for BAE against Manchester United and Aston Villa. With Steven Caulker emerging at centre half, it’s thought that Jan could remain on the left side for now but the player himself seems keen to switch back to his original position.
“At Tottenham I play left-back because of injuries. Marc Wilmots (Belgium’s manager) likes that perhaps, but I’ve got other ambitions,” Vertonghen said.
Jan is one of a number of Spurs players preparing for the long international weekend.
“The match in Serbia will become one of the hardest, but everyone knows how important this is and is very sharp. We’ll go for the three points, but must be sharp in the defence,” he added.
Vertonghen might look equally comfortable in either position but the player himself is certain as to where he wants to play.
He is only playing left back due to Ekotto and Naughton injuries. Once either one / both are fit he will be play at centre back again.
‘Vertonghen might look equally comfortable in either position but the player himself is certain as to where he wants to play’
You must not be looking very hard then. He doesn’t have the right build to play FB full-time and lacks the pace and trickery that BAE has. He’s a decent stand-in because he’s a hard-working, strong player but players like Nani have not had to work that hard to get their crosses past him. Jan is a great CB, and an adequate LB, he’s not equally good at both.
This also ignores that BAE is a much better player than we give him credit for.
BAE Vertonghen Caulker Walker — back 4 is set with good depth.
Det se5g skre4mmande ut, alltse5 tack och lov he4nde det ingenting ve4rre. Ni borde satnna ff6r en stund och te4nka pe5 det hela, ni riskerar ju allt ff6r mycket med era lekar!! Ta god hand om er sje4lva och om varandra. Jag har 2 passioner i livet, musik och backhoppning, och exakt i den ordning. Alltse5,pe5 lf6rdag var jag och min ve4ninna igen pe5 en konsert av rockbandet Negative. Vi mf6tte de4r en tjej fre5n d6sterrike. Jag fre5gade henne om hon gillade backhoppning, och hon sa nej. Jag sa att de har ett ve4ldigt starkt lag med me5nga goda hoppare i d6sterrike, speciell Gregor Schlierenzauer. Hon sa att hon inte ke4nner till Schlierenzauer!! Och jag som hade te4nkt att ALLA i d6sterrike skulle veta vem han e4r
The main reason we won against MU was the absence of BAE and, mainly, Vert playing left back and being able, therefore, to break through every time MU was losing the ball in midfield.
He could also score a goal that way!
Without that goal we couldn’t win that game.
During that game he has stopped and neutralised Nani and their full back more times that any other left back in the PL until now (including BAE, of course).
Playing as CB is much easier for him and he doesn’t have to do a lot of running.
That’s why he prefers that position.
But the team would benefit more of him if his role wasn’t limited only in defending duties.
With him playing as CB, Spurs would have probably more chances to avoid defeat.
With Vert playing as LB or in midfield, Spurs would have, as we have witnessed in the game against MU (but also in the last five games of his national team), more chances to win games.
IoanX. …. You sir are a fucking plank…. Vert is a CB …. Grow some pubes you tit…
dennis,
But I am not an idiot like you.
I had prescribed exactly the way Spurs would score a goal against MU if Vert wasn’t playing as a CB!
And it has happened that way exactly!!
Happily for Spurs, AVB had the same opinion with me and Spurs had won a game that otherwise they wouldn’t.
But there are some idiots and Spurs enemies like you who don’t want Spurs to win games.
Go back to the club you belong, idiot.
Here we are talking about the mighty Spurs.
And how the club can win games like that in OT.
I know it’s painful for you to watch Vert playing in another position than that of the CB, moving forward with ball and scoring goals.
Not to mention the fact that he had neutrilised their mighty right side!
But that’s what you hate most: Spurs scoring goals.
That’s why you would prefer Vert to have only defending duties!!
You are right we wouldn’t have scored the first goal without Vert, but that was a very lucky and fortuitous one at that. But Nani gave him all kind of problems defensibly and maybe with Vert in the center would have stopped the first utd goal if not both so Vert is better in the middle and BAE is arguably the best LB in the BPL. He plays a great ball, has good pace, great stamina, very solid defensibly, a great person and professional.
Are you mental? BAE Arguably best LB in EPL?!!!
Do me a favour pal.
I’m a Spurs fan through and through, have been for nearly 30 years not, but Benny, for me, isn’t even in the top 3 left backs in the league.
A.Cole, P.Evra, L.Baines (my personal favourite) are all better than BAE.
Stop being blinkered just because you support Spurs.
BAE is a liability, he can’t tackle, loses his runner far too often, and gets carried away trying one too many predictable step overs at the back.
…and Vertonghen can and will attack from CB as well. It’s not as thought we lose him going forward when he’s not playing FB, we just gain his quality in the center where we need it.
We were crap up until the start of the second half against QPR. We had lost to Newcastle, drawn with two relegation fodder teams and were 1-0 down against a third. What changed? Caulker came on as CD, Vert went to left back and Sigurdssen came off allowing Bale to go back to left wing. Since then we have won all four games including beating United away. Vert has pretty much been our best player as LB in all of these games. Why would we want to change now? It would be madness! What is wrong with you?
Ionx and Dennis
Enough name calling. Theyre just opinions.
However, I have to agree that Jan is a superior CB compared to LB. I’ve played to a reasonable level at full back for 20 years (god I want to kill myself) and I’d have to say jan doesn’t quite possess that turn of pace over half a yard that you’d want. He is very quick though.
He is (in my opinion) the most intelligent footballer I’ve seen in a spurs shirt since Perryman was around. Therefore, I feel his talents are a bit wasted at LB anyway. He can boss games from start to finish in the centre of defence whereas he can only show flashes of brilliance at full back.
I’ve seen every game this season and whilst he was immense in the 2nd half against QPR, I have to say that I found his performance against utd a bit over rated. He was very good, but prone to errors against a very ordinary utd attacking threat. Not many errors mind, just enough to remind me that full back is just a part time roll for him.
I look forward to many years of Jan bossing our defence (give him the captains armband NOW). I fear, however, that he’s going to be snapped up very very soon by one of the heavy weights. We’ll see.
All good. Carry on big Jan. I’m actually happy to see you play in any position in a spurs shirt!!
I think Vert playing LB has emphasised BAE’s flaws. Honestly think we need a new long-term LB.
Could not agree more Steve, as I have pretty much just commented ubove after someone touted Benny as ‘arguably the best LB in the EPL’!!! Joker!
I totally agree with you Jurgen and Steve, Spurs need to invest in a new long term LB ASAP. BAE seems suspect and I’ve said this for a while, seems slow and these drag backs he does are getting far to predictable. He was seond choice behind Bale until Bale was found to be a world Class attacking winger. The thing is, Spurs have never brought in a left back to replace Bale and just keep using make shift or tempory replacements. Although Vert is good at left back he seems better in the centre but lets not argue over the fact lets just look at the happy times we are having now. Kaboul to come back, Townsend is finally getting a run, Adebayor back from Injury and Friedel having to fight for a place now !!! Dont want to start a new debate but I’d ike to see Naughton get a run at right back and try Walker right wing. I feel Lennon for all his trickery has not got the final killer ball and doesn’t score enuff. Vert scoring more in less apperances and playing from the back speaks volumes for itself.